Whether it be real estate updates, restaurant reviews, events, or highlights of unique homes in Palm Springs, follow Sheri as she covers all that Palm Springs and the surrounding area has to offer.
This home had an offer accepted within 24-hours of listing and marketing it.
Winter golfing at Rancho La Quinta Country Club
A new bill introduced in the US Senate last month just might bring more Canadian’s south of the border and for longer periods of time. The VISIT-USA Act proposed by Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Mike Lee (R-UT) proposes two different variations of a 3-year non-immigrant residential visa. One of which is a Home Ownership Visa, which is the subject of this blog post.
The VISIT-USA Act would create a new visa for Canadians citizens who meet the following conditions:
Proposes Expanded Stays From 180 to 240 Days per Year!
Under current immigration law Canadians visitors cannot spend more than 180 days in the U.S. The new visa would extend the number of days Canadians could stay in the U.S. from 180 to 240 per year and would be renewable every three years. If this bill were to become law we may see a radical change to the migration patters of thousands of Canadian snowbirds.
The new visa would not allow Canadians to work in the U.S. or obtain any U.S. benefits such as social security or Medicare. But U.S. tax residency could have numerous advantages for Canadian retirees. Once the dust settles on this proposed bill, Canadians may find that they have additional after tax dollars to use and enjoy in their new sun filled retirement.
Stay tuned for more on this new proposed bill.
Citrus Golf Club patio overlooking the driving range
Citrus Golf Club in La Quinta recently rolled back it's golf membership deposit from $100,000 to only $30,000. The new lower deposit rate is non-refundable.
Non-golfers, even those living outside the gates of Citrus can consider joing as a Sports or Social Member which also offers privileges at La Quinta Resort.
New Citrus Golf Club Memberships
Madison Club Villa #1 at 81670 De Soto Ave, La Quinta
We rarely see a Madison Club Villa come on the market. And this Villa is even rarer as the owner is a top PGA Tour player. Villa #1 features two master suites and a private pool/spa. A short walk to the clubhouse and Spa. Please contact me for further information or to arrange a private tour of this property and Madison Club.
> Madison Club Community Profile
Desert Area MLS listing courtesy of Hideaway Properties and Coldwell Banker
This home is clearly the best value in Lake La Quinta. Lake La Quinta is a gated community featuring a 25 acre private lake with electric boating, kayaking and fishing, a community pool, tennis and a large park. Living at Lake La Quinta is easy as front yard landscape is included in your monthly HOA's.
PGA West, La Quinta
Many home and condo owners choose to rent their properties to short-term renters (less than six consecutive months). While this can be a great income opportunity, you'll want to check your homeowner policy for coverage. If it won't cover your home for short-term rental usage you'll want to look for a policy that does.
In speaking with Richard Cox of The Cox Insurance Agency in Palm Desert, Richard said, "We can now cover most rental homes and condos for short-term rentals at a very reasonable cost. Representing a first in the industry, this Comprehensive Property and Liability Insurance Program was created especially for homes and condos that are being used as short-term vacation rentals."
Short & Long Term Rental Coverage
Richard further said, "This new program can be used by those who book their homes year-round or by those who only book a few days, weeks or months per year. Owners can now have peace of mind knowing that they are properly covered at a reasonable cost."
So, even if you think you are properly covered, you'll want to review your policy, or have your agent review your policy. "Most vacation homeowners are simply not covered for the risk of short-term rentals."
Richard Cox can be reached at 760.797.1800.
Email Richard
Patio dining at La Spiga in Palm Desert
Our recent dining experience at La Spiga Ristorante Italiano started with an email from one of my clients. “You always do such a nice job reviewing local restaurants and I am interested in your opinion about La Spiga Ristorante Italiano in Palm Desert,” Julie wrote.
The truth is, my husband, Bill, and I stopped in one evening a couple of years ago when driving by. La Spiga was packed and - without having made a reservation (highly recommended!) - we went elsewhere and frankly forgot about coming back. You see, La Spiga is a hidden gem that’s tucked away from highway 111 in Palm Desert and, in our case, it became one of those “out of sight out of mind” cases.
Thank you, Julie, for jogging our memory. We simply loved La Spiga! La Spiga is a Tuscan-style villa that’s surrounded by rose gardens, herb beds and fruit trees. The patio wraps around the entire building, offering a lovely view of the nearby mountains. We highly recommend that you enjoy La Spiga’s patio (or deck as some refer to it) to maximize your dining experience. Last night, most of the diners were, indeed, taking advantage of the lovely outdoor dining opportunity.
Our server, Aubrey, was fairly new to La Spiga, having been there just two months. But we could tell she was very well trained. It is indeed rare in this day and age for a restaurant to actually invest the time and effort to thoroughly train their wait staff. Aubrey’s service was spot-on and friendly.
For starters I ordered Calamari Fritti. It was crispy and served on a bed of marinated, julienned cucumbers, with a green tomatillo reduction. Bill and I agreed that this was one of, if not the best, calamari dishes we’ve ever tasted. The calamari was prepared perfectly. It was not oily or greasy, nor was it chewy. What really set this dish apart, though, was the chef’s use of cucumbers and reduction sauce. Aubrey suggested that we take the chef’s recommendation and mix the elements with the calamari. In one word, superb!
Bill’s chose the artichoke with mascarpone soup of the day for his appetizer. The flavor blends were perfect and, frankly, we passed our starters back and forth between each other several times since they were both delicious.
For his main course Bill choose the Pappardelle Con Ragu Di Buffalo. This entrée featured pappardelle pasta with Bolognese style in house-ground buffalo tenderloin with red wine reduction. Bill likes the health aspects of buffalo compared to beef, and this dish, again, was enjoyed from start to finish. A real highlight was having leftovers for lunch the next day!
Bing partial to seafood I choose the Risotto Al Pescatore. This dish featured an abundance of seasonal seafood with just the right amount of tomato sauce. Perfection for me personally would have been just a bit more risotto, but the abundance of seafood and wonderful flavors more than made up for it.
I think you’ll agree that La Spiga’s wine list offers a wide selection of wines across a wide array of prices. Enjoy a glass with your Italian dinner or, better yet, share a bottle around the table; you won’t be disappointed!
In summary, the atmosphere and service at LaSpiga’s was top notch. We will definitely be returning to La Spiga several times during the season.
Chef owner Vince Cultraro and his wife/hostess Connie Cultraro, can certainly be proud of La Spiga.
La Spiga Ristorante Italiano is located at 72-557 Hwy 111 in Palm Desert. (760) 340-9318.
> View ALL Desert Dining Suggestions Here
A few months after move-in we had the plants looking good again
After helping hundreds of buyers find great opportunities on desert homes over the last few years, my husband, Bill, and I recently decided the time was right for a move of our own.
Finding Lifestyle And Value
Most of my buyer clients invest in a lifestyle for their family and friends rather than just a home. It’s about finding just the right fit for their lifestyle and, of course, at the right price! After all, a bargain home in the wrong location won’t be considered a bargain for long.
We placed lifestyle at the top of our list. That said, our lifestyle is a bit different from most of our clients since we are involved so personally in the real estate world. You see, we spend so much time engaged in golf, tennis, and other resort lifestyle activities (life can be tough!), that we wanted to purchase an upscale home that would offer us a bit of land and privacy that was adjacent to the La Quinta golf and tennis communities where we play.
The Same Process We Used Can Benefit You
Just as I do for most of our buyer clients, I entered our home and community criteria into a custom MLS Portal. As newly listed homes that fit our specific criteria came on the market, our system emailed us each new possibility. We soon had a short list of properties in the communities that interested us the most. We had looked at about a dozen properties when the right opportunity for us came our way.
How I Knew We Had To Buy This Home
I received an email update via my MLS Portal when a bank-owned property fitting our criteria came on the market. This home was offered at a huge discount compared to its original ’06 selling price. The listing price per square foot was substantially below comparable homes and well below the home’s replacement value.
Ready To Pounce
I’ve been telling my clients for years that finding a great opportunity today involves patience and pounce. It can take days, weeks or months to find your dream home. While patience may pay off, it’s also important to be prepared to pounce when you find your perfect home, particularly if the property is priced below market comps as ours was.
Practicing what I preach, my husband Bill and I had our ducks in a row, making it easy to pounce once the opportunity arose. I placed our offer quickly and within a few weeks we closed on our dream home at a very attractive price. Life is short. We’ve been enjoying our new home with family and friends for a few months now and I’d be more than happy to help you discover yours! Whether bank owned, short sale or regular sale property, there are great opportunities to be discovered. Every property must be priced competitively to sell in today's market!
Sold at The Palms Golf Club, La Quinta
Staging your home prior to marketing and showing it can result in a faster sale and for a higher sale price. While there are professional home stager's, most owners can take four simple steps to improve their homes appearance to potential buyers.